Run your engine up to operating temperature before you put antifreeze in your engine. Then there's no need to remove the thermostat. Once its up to temp, pull the drain plugs on the engine and let the water drain out. Put the drain plugs back in and use the 5 gallon bucket with pink. Start the engine with the ear-muffs pulling fluid from the 5 gallon bucket and shut the engine down once the pink starts coming through the outdrive. That'll make sure all the water is out. Hope this helps.

Mike

 

Mike's way is perfectly acceptable, but personally I'd take the extra 5 minutes and remove the thermostat. This way there is no question whether or not the engine is up to operating temperature and you will be sure the antifreeze has made it through all the necessary portions of your engine. The thermostat can be reused in the spring. Just use a new gasket at that point. Reuse the old one for winterizing even if it doesn't survive when pulling the water neck off.

Doug

 

I do it Mike's way. I run the hose on the with fresh water untill the engine warms up, then drain the manifolds. One is helps clean out the salt, it opens the thermostat, and helps when fogging the engine because the engine does not stall easily.. Also it warms up the oil to make it easier to change...

 

So will the pink come out of the exhaust? (center of the prop) I am removing the thermostat just to make sure it is open as they close up pretty fast when the engine is shut off.

thanks for the input.

LK

 

So will the pink come out of the exhaust? (center of the prop)

Yes

I am removing the thermostat just to make sure it is open as they close up pretty fast when the engine is shut off.

Who told you that?

Next time you are installing a new thermostat, try taking the old one and play around with it on the kitchen stove. They stay open pretty long.

 

Yes, it will come out the exhaust. If it doesn't, then you didn't add enough antifreeze for it to exit the system.

Doug

 

I'm glad you're not my mechanic.

Doug

 

Why take a chance for 5 minutes of 'extra' work Scott?

What if the intake hose is higher in elevation than the water neck? It's possible right? And if the drain point is lower, yes, your method would work. I personally would not take a chance. It's not about being right or wrong, it's about doing your due dilligence to avoid any potential issues.

Doug

 

Well, Here is my delima - I drained the manifolds and the block, I took the hoses off at the thermostat and dumped antifreeze in them, All went well but the port side that goes to the pump did not come out the block on the port side, Went to the pump - I dumped in a gallon and it didn't come out (that I could see) I just figured I would do the 5 gallon pail method, I already have most of the water out of the system but that pump hose has me scared. It is not unsusal to get -20 here in the winter so I want to make sure I get antifreeze EVERYWHERE.
I just have a feeling that even if the thermostat was open it just seems that as soon as the cool antifreeze hit it, it would close up. I already have everything drained and antifreeze dumped in there so I am thinking that the bucket method would just be a little more insurance. I got it for 2 bucks a gallon at Ace so it didn't cost me much.

Thanks for all of the input.

LK

 

Scott - I drain the block and manifolds BEFORE I would use the bucket so there is no dillution. I'm out.

Doug

 

For as little as I pay to have my Alpha1 winterized by my regular shop I sleep well knowing I have someone to blame if all is not well come spring. When I looked into the cost of equipment and supplies, not to mention time this made a lot of sense and cents.

I am MM and I approve this message.

Oops this was not a political ad.

I stand by my comments.

MM

 

The method i posted earlier works perfectly every time. You can certainly do MORE work for the same result, but my time is valuable too. The reason i said use the muffs with antifreeze is because thats exactly how your system works. It pulls fluid from your outdrive UP into your engine and then exhausts through the outdrive. I guess you could take a chance that pouring antifreeze down into the block makes it into the outdrive and purges the water down there, or you can do it the way your system works normally and be sure. Heat the engine, purge the water, start it up with antifreeze in the bucket and 5-6 gallons later, you KNOW theres no water left. This site is full of great tips and tricks designed to make things like this easier and less costly. Here's one of them.

 

correct me if I'm wrong

The thermostat keeps water circulating inside the engine until it gets up to temperature. Once it reaches that temperature, the thermostat will open. It not like it closes immediately if the engine is shut down because the engine will hold its heat for a while. When you introduce the antifreeze the thermostat should still be open as the engine heats up the antifreeze to keep the temperature up and the thermostat open. I hold my hand on the exhausting antifreeze and if it is hot (warm) I know it when through the engine.

 

Don't forget if the T-Stat closes the A/F is bypassing to the exhaust and out.

Are you fogging at the same time?

What I do is put Stabil in the gas on the last run then at home heat it up change the oil & filter start it back up turn the fuel off & fog it with ATF until it runs out of gas then drain the block if water does not come poke it with a wire to make sure it is open. I pull the hoses off the oil coolers, water heater and the bottom of engine water pump. Then I put it back together pull the T-Stat and put around 5gal 50/50 mix of A/F then pull the hose from the out drive and pour A/F in it. It takes longer but it also puts you all over the E/R and kind of forces you to look at everything and helps spot possible problems. In the spring I drain all the A/F in to the bilge and catch in a bucket for reuse in the fall. I know every one wants to be green but the pink stuff (Propylene Glycol) is for Potable water systems while it will work it provides no protection for your engine against rust where regular A/F ( Ethylene Glycol ) does.
When I am putting her to bed for the winter it usually takes me about a week, off and on with winterizing the engine and potable water system, talking every thing out of the cabin and framing and tarping but when it is next to the house time isn’t a problem but I can see where if some one has an hour or two to get to the marina time is a concern.
http://www.peakantifreeze.com/

 

I've talked to some shops and found out how many blocks they've seen cracked because someone bought the foolproof rookie kit from Overton's or west marine or used a bucket and hose. I've tried it, and after testing some samples afterwards, wasn't impressed and redone it the right way. It's not that much more work to have the piece of mind when the mercury doesn't get above 25 for two months. Both methods require the raw water to be drained, which is the hardest part. I'm not taking the chance of adding a black mercruiser 350 cubic inch anchor to the list of unwanted items in my bilge. But it's your call....:huh:

 

I've done the bucket method for 10 years and have never had a problem. Don't see how you could go wrong putting 5 gallons of antifreeze in a motor this way.

 

Very interesting discussion... I am glad my 340 is FWC... The best way to winterize is to spend the winter in the Keys...

 

I already drained the block & manifolds, Just want it to get everyplace else that does not have a drain.

LK

 

You have oil coolers along side your engine I pull the hoses instead of trying to take the 1/4" plug out I also pull the lower water pump hose on the engine it holds a lot of water and see no other way to get it out. When draining the block make sure water comes out both sides it doesn’t hurt to poke the drain holes just to break up any rust that might be building up. Pull the hoses on the bottom of the exhaust manifold just to be safe if you have an older boat.

Here is a search on winterizing a Mercruiser it's kinda like here a lot of diffrent ideas.
http://www.google.com/search?q=wint...=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS_en

 

Can someone confirm how many drain points are on a 1999 5.0L EFI with an open cooling system?

 

So my question was how do you make sure the drive is water free?

I pulled the plug from the side of the engine and the exhaust manifold which drained all of the water. I then took the hose off at the thremostat and ran water thru the hose until antifreez came out of the exhaust drain (No antifreeze ever came out of the engine drain).

I also pulled the hose from the power steering cooler (No water came out).

To get antifreeze to the drive do i just keep pouring water in the thermostat housing with the drain plug installed? or do i pour it in the power steerin cooler hose running towards the drive?

 

ok, so i poured less then a gallon of antifreeze in the thermostat hose. Should i pour around 5 gallons?

 

http://www.*******.com/merc/Servmanl/13/13A6R2.PDF
to fill in the blanks use these letters
b,o,a,t,f,i,x no comma`s.

 

sorry 1 more question. Do i pour A/F anywhere else or just in the Thermostat hose?

What is the out drive hose? Some one mentaioned pouring it in there? Is that the hose that connects to the cooler? do i pour any in the cooler hose towards the outdrive? That is near the red battery fuse on my engine?

 

You need to take the t-stat out to get A/F into the block due to the stat being closed when cold. On the cooler hoses just take the hose off and drain the water out and you should be fine also remove the lower engine water pump hose it holds a lot of water.

 

is everyone going to be able to sleep when it gets below freezing?

 

wish to fish ,dont you meen "is anyoine going to sleep "